Control means for filament storage devices

ABSTRACT

Control means for a storage feeding device having a storage drum adapted to have yarn wound thereon tangentially, having switch means activated in response to a predetermined quantity of yarn being wound onto the drum, and having winding drive means powered from a three phase power supply. A relay is connected to the switch means and powered by one of the three phases so that the activation of the switch de-energizes the relay. When the relay is de-energized, it disconnects all three phases from the drive means and automatically applies brake means thereto which is powered by the two phases other than the phase which powers the relay. The phase which powers the relay can also be interrupted by an additional relay under the control of the knitting machine power pack or a motion detector.

United States Patent [1 1 Balgalvis CONTROL MEANS FOR FILAMENT STORAGE DEVICES [75] Inventor: Arnis Balgalvis, Flushing, NY.

[73] Assignee: Stop-Motion Devices Corporation, Plainview, NY.

[22] Filed: Nov..22, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 308,650

[52] US. Cl 66/125 R, 66/163, 242/47.0l, 1 242/47.12 [51] Int. Cl D04b 35/12 [58] Field of Search 66/132 R, 82 A, 163, 161, 66/157, 125 R; 318/6; 242/47.l2, 36, 47.01;

[111 3,798,929 [451 Mar. 26,1974

Primary Examiner-W. C. Reynolds Assistant Examiner-Andrew M. Falik Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Henry R. Lerner 57 ABSTRACT Control means for a storage feeding device having a storage drum adapted to have yarn wound thereon tangentially, having switch means activated in response to a predetermined quantity of yarn being wound onto the. drum, and having winding drive means powered from a three phase power supply. A relay is connected to the switch means and powered by one of the three phases so that the activation of the switch de-energizes the relay. When the relay is deenergized, it disconnects ,all three phases from the drive means and automatically applies brake means thereto which is powered by the two phases other than the phase which powers the relay-The phase which powers the relay can also be interrupted by an additional relay under the control of the knitting machine power pack or a motion detector.

14 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures 3,670,975 6/1972 Tomimatsu 318/6 3,372,320 3/1968 Boyum et al.... 318/6 3,549,299 12/1970 Rosen 242/47.12

A 4o A, 2. P h i i U I, 3 (b POWER U SUPPLY MOT ION DE TECTOR TO KNITTING MACHINE STOP MOTION POWER PACK PATENIEDmzs I974 FIG.

PACK

TO KNITTING MACHINE STOP MOTION POWER PACK TO KNITTING MACHINE STOP MOTION POWER MOT I ON DE TECTOR BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to control means for particular use in connection with devices for storing and feeding yarn to knitting machines generally known as storage feeders.

It has been generally recognized that yarn drawn off directly from a yarn cone is subject to continuous variations in tension resulting in the production of knit articles which are non-uniform and thus relatively unsatisfactory. This problem has been overcome to a great extent by the use of intermediate storage feeders wherein yarn from the yarn supply is tangentially wound onto a storage drum from which it is axially withdrawn as such yarn is demanded by the knitting machine. An example of such storage feeder is shown in US. Pat. No. 3,419,225, wherein a storage drum is driven by a motor whereby yarn is tangentially wound onto the drum with the windings being advanced axially on the drum by a tilted loading disk, and wherein the yarn is then axially withdrawn from the drum as demanded by the knitting machine. The tilted disk is operative to close a microswitch which controls the supply of power to the drum driving means. As the quantity of yarn wound onto the drum increases, the angle of tilt of the disk decreases until the micro-switch is opened when a predetermined amount of yarn has been wound or stored on the drum. Accordingly, the loading disk causes the interruption of drum rotation when a predetermined quantity of yarn is wound thereon and causes resumption of such rotation when the quantity of yarn on the drum reaches a predetermined minimum.

In addition, the storage feeder is conventionally provided with a stop motion and an associated light so that when such stop motion is activated due to yarn breakage causing a biased fly wire to move to a switch closing position, it will be effective to instantaneously interrupt the knitting machine drive as is the case with any stop motion on a knitting machine. Since, however, the storage feeder aforedescribed is driven by its own drive motor, the storage feeder stop motion is electrically connected to the power supply for the storage feeder drive motor so that when such stop motion is activated, it will also interrupt such power supply.

The aforedescribed operation of the storage feeder is still burdened with some major performance deficiencies. More specifically, upon activationof the storage feeder stop motion which leads to an instantaneous stop of the knitting machine, the accompanying interruption of the power supply to the drum drive motor does not cause an instantaneous stop of drum rotation but permits instead the storage drum to coast to a stop, which coasting can last anywhere from 8 to 12 seconds. This results in a condition wherein the drum continues to be loaded at a time when no demand for yarn is being made by the knitting machine, in which condition the yarn being wound has twist imparted thereto. Further, there are times when the knitting machine is in terrupted due to the activation of a stop motion elsewhere on the machine, with no effect on a storage drum which may be in the process of being loaded, whereby all such loaded yarn has undesirable twist imparted thereto. Finally, even under normal operation of the storage feeder, activation of the micro-switch when the disk reaches its micro-switch opening position still results in continued loading until the drum coasts to a stop, such continued loading constituting in many instances an undesirable overload on the drum.

The present control circuitry has as its objects the eliminationof the above pointed out deficiencies.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In accordance with the invention, the existing control circuitry has been modified so as to provide for the immediate stoppage of a storage feeder when the yarn wound onto the drum reaches a predetermined quantity causing the tilted loading disk to open the associated micro-switch, thus eliminating the undesirable continued coasting of the drum. This is accomplished by providing an internal brake powered by two phases of a three phase power supply which automatically applies braking current to two phases of the drive motor when the microswitch is opened.

Further, in accordance with the invention, the activation of any of the stop motions associated with the storage feeders automatically activates the knitting machine stop motion, and the activation of the knitting machine stop motion automatically interrupts one phase of the power supply which in turn is operative to instantaneously interrupt the power supply of all the storage feeders while simultaneously applying braking power thereto. Further, in accordance with the control circuitry of the present invention, the operation of all the storage feeders may be instantaneously interrupted, and prevented from being resumed, in response to any outside signal such as one generated by a motion detector.

The improved control circuitry .in accordance with the invention which substantially eliminates the deficiencies of the existing control circuitry, is accomplished without the necessity of making'any substantial physical changes in the existing storage feeder for which the subject invention is particularly adapted.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a circuit diagram showing the control circuitry for the operation of storage feeders in accordance with the prior art; and I FIG. 2 is a circuit diagram showing the control circuitry for the operation 'of storage feeders in accordance with the present invention; and

FIG. 3 is a modification of the circuit diagram in FIG. 2.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT the knitting machine drive. A relay 14 is interposed in the path of the power supply to the drive motor which relay is controlled by switch 16, the latter being the aforementioned micro-switch activated by the tiited drum loading disk. A coupling 18 connects conductors A, B and C to the three phases A, B, and C, respectively, of the three phase power supply 12, there being a relay 20 interposed between the three phase power supply and coupling 18. Coil 22 of relay 14 is. in series with microswitch l6 and obtains its power through conductor C, by means of electrical lead 24. Switch 26 is that of the stop motion directly associated with the storage feeder, such switch being in series with a lamp 28 and also connected to conductorC by means of lead 24. A fourth conductor D extends from terminal 30 and is connected by means of coupling 18 to terminal 32, there being provided a diode 29 to isolate lamp 28 from other storage feeders connected to the same power supply. Coil 34 of relay 20 is connected to terminal 32 and to terminal 36 which is in turn electrically connected to power supply conductor C. I

The prior art circuitry operates as follows:

When the storage drum on the storage feeder has a small quantity of yarn thereon, the tilted disk is operative to maintain micro-switch 16 closed whereby relay coil 22 is energized through phase C to close armatures 14a, 14b, and Me of the relay whereby to provide three phase power to the drive motor, which in turn causes continuing loading of the storage drum. When the yarn wound onto the drum reaches the predetermined quantity, the angle of the tilt disk is decreased resulting in opening of micro-switch 16. This in turn deenergizes coil 22 and causes armatures 14a, 14b and Me to assume their normally open position, in engagement with dummy contacts 14a, 14b and Me, in which power to the motor is interrupted. This, however, still permits the drum to coast to a stop resulting in undesirable overload of yarn on the storage drum.

in the event that the stop motion associated with the storage feeder is activated, due for example to a breakage of the yarn associated with such storage feeder, as previously described, switch 26 is closed completing a circuit through phase C to light signal lamp 28 for the purpose of identifying the faulty storage feeder and also completing a circuit through conductor D and relay coil 34. The resulting energization of relay coil 34 opens normally closed relay armatures 20a and 20b causing the interruption of phase A and B of the power supply to the drive motor. At the same time, the closing of stop motion switch 26 completes a circuit to the knitting machine stop motion power pack which, in accordance with conventional control circuitry, as for example that shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,343,l58 assigned to the assignee hereof, causes the instantaneous interruption of the knitting machine. When as aforedescribed, the storage feeder stop motion is activated, there arises the undesirable condition wherein the knitting machine is instantaneously stopped while any storage feeder which is in the process of being loaded continues to coast to a stop. The condition is undesirable as previously described, because the loading of the drum while no demand of yarn is being made by the knitting machine causes undesirable twist in the yarn being loaded on the drum until the drum comes to a halt.

While as described above the activation of a stop motion associated with any of the storage feeders does activate the knitting machine stop motion power pack, it is clear from the existing control circuitry that the activation cfa stop motion which is not associated with any of the storage feeders has no effect on the storage feeder drive motor, although it also results in the instantaneous interruption of the knitting machine drive. Thus, in accordance with existing control circuitry, should the knitting machine be stopped due to the activation of a stop motion not associated with any of the storage feeders, all the storage feeders which are in the process of loading will continue to load until they reach their normal fully loaded condition, again imparting to the yarn loaded at such time substantial undesirable twist.

The deficiencies of the existing control circuitry of FIG. 1 are eliminated by the control circuitry in accordance with the invention illustrated in FIG. 2. in this connection, it is important to note that the storage feeder to which the present invention is particularly adapted, is normally produced with all the components shown in FIG. 1 being integrally built within the storage feeder, requiring only the connection of a four conductor cable (containing conductors A, B, C and D) to be connected to coupling 18 in H0. 1 for linking the storage feeder to the power supply and the other components of the knitting machine. Accordingly, aside from curing the deficiencies in the existing control circuitry, it is an objective of thepresent invention to cure such deficiencies without necessitating any significant modifications of the storage feeder as presently built.

Referring now to FIG. 2, it will be noted that the circuitry shown therein incorporates substantially the same components connected in the same manner as in FIG. 1, such as three phase drive motor 10, relay 14 which includes normally open contacts 14a, 14b and Me, as well as cell 22, microswitch 16, stop motion switch 26, lamp 28, conductors A, B, C and D connected to a coupling 18, with the sole difference residing in the fact that relay coil 22 is connected to conductor B instead of conductor C.

There has, however, been added an internal brake 38 whose input is connected across conductors A and C and whose output is connected across dummy contacts 14a and Between three phase power supply 12 and coupling 18, there is interposed a relay 40 comprising coil 42- and a single normally closed armature 44 interposed in conductor B between the power supply and coupling 18. A pair of conductors 46 and 48 connect coil 42 to the knitting machine stop motion as is conductor D' which is connected by means of coupling 18 to conductor D.

A comparison of FIG. 2 and FIG. 1 demonstrates the few physical changes which have been made, in accordance with the invention, which changes however transform the prior art control circuitry into one which eliminates the deficiencies of the prior art. The operation of the control circuitry in accordance with the invention is as follows:

When the yarn wound onto the storage drum reaches the predetermined quantity, switch 16 is opened, deenergizing relay coil 22 and causing armatures 14a and 140 to assume their normal position in which they are in engagement with contacts 140' and 14c, respectively. This immediately allowsbrake 38, which is a conventional internal brake, to apply braking current to two of the three phases (A and C) of drive motor coil 22 is now energized through phase B so that the deenergization of the latter does not affect the automatic operation of the brake. Accordingly, it is clear that the problem of having the drum coast to a stop 8 to 12 seconds after it has been fully loaded has been eliminated.

In the event that the stop motion associated with the storage feeder is activated, switch 26 is closed completing a circuit through phase C to light signal lamp 28. At the same time, the closing of switch 26 completes a circuit through conductors D and D to the knitting machine stop motion power pack, which causes the instantaneous interruption of the knitting machine and which simultaneously completes a circuit through conductors 46, relay coil 42 and conductor 48. The ensuing energization of relay coil 42 opens normally closed armature 44 which interrupts phase B power to all the storage feeders. Since relay coil 22 is powered through phase B, the opening of armature 44 de-energizes relay coil 22 to immediately disconnect the power supply from the drive motor and apply instead braking power through two phases thereof. Since the connections from the three phase power supply to coupling 18 is common for all the storage feeders, it will be evident that upon activation of the knitting machine stop motion power pack, which results in the opening of armature 44, all the storage feeders will come to an immediate halt, regardless of their condition. It will also be noted that since light 28 is powered through phase C which is always connected to the power supply, the particular storage feeder whose stop motion was activated remains readily identifiable.

In accordance with the control circuitry of FIG. 2, it will be evident that whenever the knitting machine power pack is activated, whether due to a stop motion associated with the storage feeder or not, resulting in the interruption of the knitting machine, relay coil 42 will be energized to instantaneously stop the operation of all the storage feeders.

Thus it is seen that, in accordance with the control circuitry of the present invention, there has been eliminated the possibility of any yarn being wound onto any of the storage feeders when no demand of yarn is made on the storage feeder due to the activation of the knitting machine stop motion power pack for any reason.

The winding of yarn onto a storage feeder drum when no demand of yarn is made thereon because the knitting machine is stationary is undesirable, as previously discussed. While the common cause of knitting machine interruption is the activation of a stop motion, the possibility arises that the knitting machine drive might still be interrupted though no stop motion has been activated as, for example, when the machine is being jogged. The control circuitry in accordance with the present invention lends itself particularly to the prevention of any inadvertent operation of the storage feeder in such eventuality. More specifically, relay coil 42 may be connected as by conductors 50, 52 to a motion detector associated with the knitting machine. An example of such motion detector is shown in application Ser. No. l69,205, filed Aug. 5, I971, and assigned to the assignee hereof. Such motion detector detects the presence or absence of any motion of the knitting machine and is capable of generating a signal in response to such presence or absence, as may be desired. By connecting such motion detector in the circuitry of FIG. 2 in the manner shown, relay 42 is automatically energized in response to a signal from the motion detector caused by the absence of knitting machine motion and this in turn causes the'instantaneous interruption of the storage feeders or prevents their energization.

In the embodiment of FIG. 2, the tilt disk activates switch 16 which in turn energizes the relay'22. It may be found desirable, however, to have the tilt disk actuate, instead, a three pole mechanical switch which accomplishes the same result. Such arrangement is shown in the embodiment of FIG. 3 wherein three pole mechanical switch 14' is provided with switch element 16. movable by the tilt disk from the position shown in FIG. 3 when the amount of yarn wound onto the storage drum reaches its predetermined maximum quantity. Such activation of switch element 16 as is readily seen, will disconnect the three phases from the drive motor, and at the same time connect the brake 38 thereto. Under such arrangement, there is provided a solenoid 22 which is connected into the control circuitry to phase B, ina manner identical to the arrangement of FIG. 2, but being grounded at its other end. Solenoid 22', when energized through phase B has no effect on switch 14'. In the event, however, that solenoid 22' is de-energized, its effect is to cause switch element 16' to automatically assume the position in which the three phases are disconnected from the drive motor and the brake is applied thereto regardless of the condition of the tilt disk. The overall operation of the embodiment of FIG. 3 is therefore substantially the same as that in FIG. 2 except only that, whereas in FIG. 2 micro-switch I6 is electrically connected to relay 14, in the embodiment of FIG. 3 switch l4'is of a'mechanical nature and is still controlled by solenoid 22' but in a non-electrical way. In each case, however, the tilt disk actuated switches, whether 16 in FIG. 2 or I6 in FIG. 3, is overridden by relay coil 22 or solenoid 22', as the case may be.

Thus, it is seen that the control circuitry in accordance with the present invention, consisting of but a few physical and electrical changes from the prior art control circuitry, results in a highly improved control circuit devoid of substantially all the deficiencies present in the prior art arrangement.

While there is herein shown and described the preferred embodiment of the invention, it will be understood that the invention may be embodied otherwise than as herein specifically illustrated or described, and that in the illustrated embodiment certain changes in the details of construction and in the form and arrangement of parts may be made without departing fromthe underlying idea or principles of this invention within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, whatl claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

I. In a storage feeding device having a storage drum adapted to have yarn wound thereon tangentially and withdrawn axially, having switch means activated in response to a predetermined quantity of yarn being wound onto said drum, and having winding drive means powered from a three phase power supply, the improvement comprising,

a. relay means deriving its electrical power from one of said phases and being connected to said switch means whereby the activation of said switch means in response to a predetermined quantity of yarn being wound onto said drum is operative to deenergize said relay means, and Y b. electrical brake means deriving its electrical power from the other two of said phases,

c. said relay means being adapted, when energized, to-connect said winding drive means to the three phases of said power supply, and when unenergized, to disconnect said winding drive means from said three phases, and to connect said brake means to said winding drive means,

whereby the de-energization of said relay means is operative to bring said winding drive means to a substantiaily instantaneous halt.

2. The improvement in accordance with claim 1, wherein there is further provided a stop motion switch associated with the storage feeding device in series with a lamp and powered from one of said other two phases, whereby upon closingof said stop motion switch said lamp is energized with power from said one of said other two phases.

3. in a knitting machine having at least one storage feeding device, said storage feeding device having a storage drum adapted to have yarn wound thereon tangentially and withdrawn axially, having switch means activated in response to a predetermined quantity of yarn being wound onto said drum, having a stop motion switch in series with a light, and having winding drive means adapted to be powered from a three phase power supply, and said knitting machine having a plurality of stop motion switches associated therewith, power pack means for instantaneously interrupting the knitting machine drive upon closing of any of said stop motion switches associatedwith said knitting machine, and a three phase power supply, the improvement comprising:

a. coupling means connected to said three phase supb. relay means associated with said storage feeding device and interposed between said coupling means and said winding drive means, and deriving its electrical power from one of said three phases, said relay means being in series with said switch means whereby the activation of said switch means in response to a predetermined quantity of yarn wound onto said drum is operative to de-energize said relay means,

c. electrical brake means associated with said storage feeding device and deriving its electrical power from the other two of said phases,

d. said relay means being adapted, when energized, to connect said winding drive means to the three phases at said coupling means, and when unenergized, to disconnect said winding drive means from said three phases, and to connect said brake means to said winding drive means,

whereby the de-energization of said relay means is operative to bring said winding drive means to a substantially instantaneous halt.

4. The improvement in accordance with claim 3, wherein there is further provided additional relay means interposed between said three phase power supply and said coupling means, said additional relay means being operative, when energized, to disconnect said one phase from said coupling means, whereby the energization of said additional relay means interrupts the power to said first mentioned relay means to bring said winding drive means to a substantially instantaneous halt.

5. The improvement in accordance with claim 4, wherein said additional relay means is connected to said power pack means and energized thereby upon closing of any of said knitting machine stop motion switches.

6. The improvement in accordance with claim 5, wherein the stop motion switch and light associated with said storage feeding device is powered from one of said other two phases.

7. The improvement in aceordance with claim 6, wherein the stop motion switch associated with said storage feeder is connected to said knitting machine power pack means whereby the closing thereof is operative to instantaneously interrupt the knitting machine drive and energize said additional relay means to bring said storage feeding device winding drive means to a substantially instantaneous halt.

8. The improvement in accordance with claim 4, wherein the knitting machine is provided with a motion detector connected to said additional relay means and adapted to energize the latter when there is absence of motion of said knitting machine.

9. The improvement in accordance with claim 8,

wherein said additional relay means is also connected to said power pack means and energized thereby upon closing of any of said knitting machine stop motion switches.

10. The improvement in accordance with claim 7, wherein the knitting machine is provided with a motion detector connected to said additional relay means and adapted to energize the latter when there is absence of motion of said knitting machine.

11. The improvement in accordance with claim 3, wherein there is further provided means interposed between said three phase power supply and said coupling means operative to disconnect said one phase from said coupling means, said interposed means being activated by the power pack means.

12. The improvement in accordance with claim 3, wherein there is provided means interposed between said three phase power supply and said coupling means operative to disconnect said one phase from said coupling means, and wherein there is further provided a motion detector connected to said interposed means for activating the latter when there is absence of motion of said knitting machine.

13. in a storage feeding device having a storage drum adapted to have yarn wound thereon tangentially and withdrawn axially, having switch means adapted to assume a first position in response to'a predetermined minimum quantity of yarn being wound onto the drum and a second position in response to a predetermined maximum quantity of yarn wound onto said drum, and having winding drive means powered from a three phase supply, the improvement comprising,

a. electrical brake means deriving its electrical power from two of said three phases,

b. said switch means being operative, when in said first position, to connect said winding drive means to said three phases of said power supply, and when in said second position, to disconnect said winding drive means from said three phases and simultaneously connect said brake means to said winding drive means, and

wherein there is further provided a stop motion switch associated with the storage feeding device in series with a lamp and powered from one of said two phases, whereby upon closing of said stop motion switch said lamp is energized with power from said one of said two phases.

m a: :t 

1. In a storage feeding device having a storage drum adapted to have yarn wound thereon tangentially and withdrawn axially, having switch means activated in response to a predetermined quantity of yarn being wound onto said drum, and having winding drive means powered from a three phase power supply, the improvement comprising, a. relay means deriving its electrical power from one of said phases and being connected to said switch means whereby the activation of said switch means in response to a predetermined quantity of yarn being wound onto said drum is operative to deenergize said relay means, and b. electrical brake means deriving its electrical power from the other two of said phases, c. said relay means being adapted, when energized, to connect said winding drive means to the three phases of said power supply, and when unenergized, to disconnect said winding drive means from said three phases, and to connect said brake means to said winding drive means, whereby the de-energization of said relay means is operative to bring said winding drive means to a substantially instantaneous halt.
 2. The improvement in accordance with claim 1, wherein there is further provided a stop motion switch associated with the storage feeding device in series with a lamp and powered from one of said other two phases, whereby upon closing of said stop motion switch said lamp is energized with power from said one of said other two phases.
 3. In a knitting machine having at least one storage feeding device, said storage feeding device having a storage drum adapted to have yarn wound thereon tangentially and withdrawn axially, having switch means activated in response to a predetermined quantity of yarn being wound onto said drum, having a stop motion switch in series with a light, and having winding drive means adapted to be powered from a three phase power supply, and said knitting machine having a plurality of stop motion switches associated therewith, power pack means for instantaneously interrupting the knitting machine drive upon closing of any of said stop motion switches associated with said knitting machine, and a three phase power supply, the improvement comprising: a. coupling means connected to said three phase supply, b. relay means associated with said storage feeding device and interposed between said coupling means and said winding drive means, and deriving its electrical power from one of said three phases, saiD relay means being in series with said switch means whereby the activation of said switch means in response to a predetermined quantity of yarn wound onto said drum is operative to de-energize said relay means, c. electrical brake means associated with said storage feeding device and deriving its electrical power from the other two of said phases, d. said relay means being adapted, when energized, to connect said winding drive means to the three phases at said coupling means, and when unenergized, to disconnect said winding drive means from said three phases, and to connect said brake means to said winding drive means, whereby the de-energization of said relay means is operative to bring said winding drive means to a substantially instantaneous halt.
 4. The improvement in accordance with claim 3, wherein there is further provided additional relay means interposed between said three phase power supply and said coupling means, said additional relay means being operative, when energized, to disconnect said one phase from said coupling means, whereby the energization of said additional relay means interrupts the power to said first mentioned relay means to bring said winding drive means to a substantially instantaneous halt.
 5. The improvement in accordance with claim 4, wherein said additional relay means is connected to said power pack means and energized thereby upon closing of any of said knitting machine stop motion switches.
 6. The improvement in accordance with claim 5, wherein the stop motion switch and light associated with said storage feeding device is powered from one of said other two phases.
 7. The improvement in accordance with claim 6, wherein the stop motion switch associated with said storage feeder is connected to said knitting machine power pack means whereby the closing thereof is operative to instantaneously interrupt the knitting machine drive and energize said additional relay means to bring said storage feeding device winding drive means to a substantially instantaneous halt.
 8. The improvement in accordance with claim 4, wherein the knitting machine is provided with a motion detector connected to said additional relay means and adapted to energize the latter when there is absence of motion of said knitting machine.
 9. The improvement in accordance with claim 8, wherein said additional relay means is also connected to said power pack means and energized thereby upon closing of any of said knitting machine stop motion switches.
 10. The improvement in accordance with claim 7, wherein the knitting machine is provided with a motion detector connected to said additional relay means and adapted to energize the latter when there is absence of motion of said knitting machine.
 11. The improvement in accordance with claim 3, wherein there is further provided means interposed between said three phase power supply and said coupling means operative to disconnect said one phase from said coupling means, said interposed means being activated by the power pack means.
 12. The improvement in accordance with claim 3, wherein there is provided means interposed between said three phase power supply and said coupling means operative to disconnect said one phase from said coupling means, and wherein there is further provided a motion detector connected to said interposed means for activating the latter when there is absence of motion of said knitting machine.
 13. In a storage feeding device having a storage drum adapted to have yarn wound thereon tangentially and withdrawn axially, having switch means adapted to assume a first position in response to a predetermined minimum quantity of yarn being wound onto the drum and a second position in response to a predetermined maximum quantity of yarn wound onto said drum, and having winding drive means powered from a three phase supply, the improvement comprising, a. electrical brake means deriving its electrical power from two of said three phases, b. said switch means beIng operative, when in said first position, to connect said winding drive means to said three phases of said power supply, and when in said second position, to disconnect said winding drive means from said three phases and simultaneously connect said brake means to said winding drive means, and c. electrical control means deriving its energizing electrical power from the third of said phases and operative, when de-energized, to move said switch to said second position, whereby the de-energization of said electrical control means is operative to bring said winding drive means to a substantially instantaneous halt.
 14. The improvement in accordance with claim 13, wherein there is further provided a stop motion switch associated with the storage feeding device in series with a lamp and powered from one of said two phases, whereby upon closing of said stop motion switch said lamp is energized with power from said one of said two phases. 